Fire-direction apparatus for naval guns



W. AKEMANN.

FIRE DIRECTION APPARATUS FOR NAVAL GUNS.

Patented July 5, 1921..

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1'.

v APPLICATION FILED OCT, 23, 1920.

I W. AKEMANN.

FIRE DIRECTION APPARATUS FOR NAVAL GUNS.

APPLlCATlON FILED-001123, 1920.

1,3 4,005, Patented July 5,1921.:.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STTE-S P-TENT QFFICE.

WALTHER AKEMANN, OF ESSEN, GERMANY. ASSIGNOR' T0 FRIED. KRUPP' AKTIEN-GESELLSCHAFT, 0F ESSEN-ON-THE-RUHLR, GERMANY.

FIRE-DIRECTION APPARATUS FOR NAVAL- GUNS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WALTHER AKEMANN, residing t Essen, Germany, acitizen of the German Republic, have invented a certaln new and usefulImprovement in F ire-Direction Apparatus for Naval Guns, for which Ihave filed application in Germany, filed November 4, 1916, of which thefollowing is a s ecific-ation.

ThlS invention relates to fire control apparatus for naval guns, inwhich a' gyroscopic apparatus is'provided which enables the influence ofthe rolling movements of the ship on the angle of elevation of the guncorresponding to the range of the target to bev allowed for.

The object of the invention is to prov1d e an apparatus ofthe above typewhich-primarily enables the shot to be fired at the point of reversal orin the vicinity of the point of reversal of such rolling movement.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawing in which Figure 1 diagrammatically shows an example of theconstruction of the object of the invention, in which the gyroscopic ap'paratus is placed at an elevated observing station remote from the gunstation. Fig. 2 is a section on line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a.graphic representation hereinafter referred to and based upon arectangular system of coordinates, which illustrate a fre quentlyoccurring species of irregular rolling movements of a ship and also thein-.

stants of firing the shots, and Fig. 4 diagrammatically shows anotherexample of construction of the invention.

The fire control apparatus consists of two apparatuses separated adistance from each other and connected by electrical conductors,

one of these two apparatuses being placed at 1 an elevated observingstation remote from the gun station and the other at the gun stationitself.' The apparatus placed at the observing station consists of acasing A which can be rotated about a vertical axis by means ofa handwheel C and a worm gearing 0, a and in the upper part of which anelectricall driven gyroscope B is hung by means 0 a Cardan suspension.The outer Cardan ring, the pin of \vhlch passes through the casing,carrles rigidly connected to it a horizontal sighting telescope B, adownwardly extending pointer B and a firing tongue I). The firing tongueI) oo- Specification of Letters Patent.

acting with the firing tongue 6 is placed on the outer casing B whichsurrounds the outer Cardan ring and can be rocked on the casing A aboutthe axis of rotation of: the outer Cardan ring by means of a gearing tobe hereinafter described. The pointer B 1s prov ded with three marks I),,bTancl b which he in a straight line and each of which points to arolling angle scale a a and a, inscrlbed on three segmental pieces a, aand a mounted on the casing A and curved concentrically with the 'axisof rotation of the pointer. o

On the casing A are also mounted to oscillate in guides u and a twoother segmental pieces D and E which embrace the segmental pieces a anda and include "the same angle and of which the upper one has a mark 03placed in the middle of the segment while the lower one is provided witha mark 6 likewise placed in the middle and two other marks 6 and 6arranged at equal distances apart on either side of the mark e. Themarks 6? and e are adjustable in dove-tail guide-ways in the bow piecesE (see particularly Fig. 2). The mutual distance apart of the marks eand e and also e and e is arbitrarily chosen and depends upon the timeby which the instant of firing is to be separated from the instant ofreversal of the rollingmovement of the ship. The marks 6', e and e andalso the mark d are intended to bebr'ought into register, in a manner tobe hereinafter described with themarks b and b on the pointer B when therolling movement of the ship takes place and at the same time therelative movements of the pointer B with respect to the casing A ensue,by correspondingly swinging the segmental pieces D and E outward.

These segmental pieces 'D and E are swung outward by a hand wheel Fmounted on the casing A which transmits its rotation to a horizontalshaft F and from this latter through a bevel wheel gearing F, g to avertical shaft G also mounted on the casing Patented July 5, 1921.Application filed October 23, 1920. Serial No. 419,127.

6 are equal to each other, while the gearing which leads to thesegmental piece D is adapted to bring about a considerably more rapidmovement of the segmental piece D than the segmental piece E and thepart B undergo.

The difi'erence in the ratios of transmission given is so determinedthatthe partB? and with it the firing tongue 6" is adjusted to the angle ofadvanced ignition correspond. ing to the firing delay, when thesegmental piece D and with it the mark d has been moved out of itsmiddle position, by an amount which corresponds to the angle of roll. Onthe shaft F is also keyed an inclicating drum F provided with a scale ofdegrees on which the amount of rotation of the hand wheel F can bereadofi by means of a sliding mark.

The shaft F is connected to a co-axial shaft H by means of a clutch F, Hwhich can be thrown into and out of operation and the shaft H isconnected in its turn with the transmitter J of along distanceindicating apparatusthrough a sun and planet gear, if, '5, 2'", one ofthe middle wheels of which, 71 is adjustable by means of a milled head Kand an indicating apparatus 7c, 70 to correspond to the range of thetarget.

The transmitter J is electrically connected to the receiver which ismounted on the gun v and which reproduces, true to angle, the rotationimparted to the transmitter J. In the vicinity of the indicatingapparatus M of the receiver is located an indicating apparatus N whichbelongs to the elevating gear of the gun and by the aid of which theelevation indicated by the indicating apparatus M of the receiver, canbe imparted to the gun-barrel N. In the breech block of the gun-barrel Nis placed a winding 12, for the excitation of a firing magnet, and theends of this winding n are connected through the firing, tongues 12 andb and a hand-operated switch P to a source of current.

In the consideration of the working of the times, and the magnitudesinserted in the milled head the vicinity of the point of reversal of therolling curve and for example by a small period of time behind theinstant at which the points of reversal are passed through when the shiprolls, the elevations previously imparted to the gun barrel N andcorrespondin to the range of the target must be modified by an anglewhich is equal to the oblique position of the ship which exists just atthe point of firing.

Consequentl firstly by rotating the 18: the transmltter J and with italso the indicating apparatus M of the receiver mounted on the gun, areadjusted to the angle of elevation corresponding to the range of thetarget and the clutch F, H is then thrown into operation. If the shipnow rollsout of the middle position, the pointer 13 which is held in itsvertical position by the gyroscope and with it the mark 12 executerelatively to the mark 6 a relative rolling movement, by the amount ofthe angle of roll. This rolling movement is also taken part in by thefiring tongue rigidlyconnected to the pointer 13 and it moves away-fromthe firing tongue '6 also by the amount of the angle of-roll.

Notice isnow taken, ,to which side the mark 6 of the pointer B makes therelative movement, in respect of the oppositely situated marks 6, e ande and the hand wheel F is then rotated in such a direction that the mark6 for example, past which the pointer B with the mark 6 has moved in itsrelative movement, follows the pointer B and with it the mark 6 up tothe point of reversal. As soon as this point is reached, the hand wheelF is stopped, the segmental piece E with its mark 6 thus being moved outof its middle position through an angle which is equal to the angle ofroll passed through by the pointer B with respect to the casing A, lesstheangle formed by the angular distance apart of the marks-e c.

The rotation of the hand wheel F imparts movement in addition to thatimparted to the mark e to the firing tongue 6 mounted on the part 13said tongue 6 moving under the above given ratio of transmission throughthe same angle through which the segmental piece E and with it themark 0moved. The result of this is, that the firing tongue b, at the instantof the reversal of the relative movement of the pointer B that is tosay, at the instant of stopping the hand wheel F, (is disant from thefiring tongue 12 by the difference of the angle of roll and the angle ofmovement of the segmental piece E, that is to say, by the same angle asthe pointer mark 6 is from th op 7 site, middle mark 6'.

he movement of the hand wheel F is also transmitted through the gearingF, F H, H, if, z", 2' to the'transmitter J and consequently to theindicating apparatus M .apparatus M of the'receiver.

of the receiver mounted on the gun. The receiver is at the same timerotated out of the elevation imparted to it corresponding to the rangeof the target, through an additional angle which is equal to the angleof movement of the segmental piece E, that is to say, the angle of rollpassed through by the pointer B diminished by the angle determined bythe distance e e. This additional angle is added to or subtracted fromthe angle corresponding to the range of the target, according as thehand wheel F is rotated in one direction on the downward roll or in theother direction on the upward roll.

The gun layer whose duty is to rotate the elevating gear then adjuststhe gun barrel N to the elevation shown on the indicating The time athis disposal to do this is somewhat less than the time which elapsesfrom the instant in which the marks 6 and b were opposite each other atthe point of reversal, up to the instant in which the pointer mark 6 inthe further course of the rolling movement reaches the middle mark 6,now fixed with respect to the casing A.

When he has adjusted the gun barrel N during this time, he givesby asignaling device (not shown), a corresponding signal to the observingstation, and, at this station, the switch P is then closed. As Soon asthe pointer mark 6 is opposite the middle mark 6, when the course of therolling movement is as given, the two firing tongues b and b areopposite each other as they, as already stated, were removed from eachother at the point of reversal, by the same angle as the two marks 6 and.e', and the gun will accordingly be fired at this instant.

As the gun barrel N has an elevation imparted to it in respect of theship, forming its emplacement, which is equal to the angle of elevationcorresponding to the range of the target, modified by the angle of rollfixed by the position of the mark 6', and the ship, at the instant offiring the shot, is inclined to its horizontal floating position, by theangle of roll determined by the position of the mark e, the gun-barrel Njust possesses, at the instant of firing the shot, the elevation withrespect to a horizontal lane, which corresponds to the range of thetarget. 5

As will be clear without any further description, the mark I) can alsobe followed by the mark 6' and the firing of the shot at the point ofreversal of the rolling movement itself so allowed to take place. 1

Instead of controlling the firing by the aid of the indicating apparatusformed by the marks 6 6', 6 and e it may be controlled also by the aidof the fire control apparatus described, by using the indicatingapparatus containing .the marks I)" and d, which is most convenientlydone when the ship makes a rolling movement which takes place uniformlyaccording to the sine. law. In this case the gun barrel N will beadjusted to the elevation corresponding to the range of the target,using the indicating apparatus formed by the marks I) and d and fired atan instant which lies by the amount of the firing delay corresponding tothe angle of roll in advance of the instant at which the ship passesthrough the horizontal floating position. For this purpose firstly theclutch F, H is thrown out of operation. The transmitter J is thenadjusted by means of the milled head K to the angle of elevationcorresponding to the range of the target and this adjustment of thetransmitter J results in a corresponding adjustment of the receiver. Thegun barrel N is next adjust ed to the elevation corresponding to therange of the target and .which can be read off on the indicatingapparatus M of the receiver.

As soon as it has been ascertained at the observing station by the aidof a return signaling apparatus (not shown), that the gun barrel hasbeen adjusted to the elevation corresponding to the range of the target,the hand wheel F and with it the toothed sector D positively connectedthereto are so rotated that the mark 03 thereon follows the pointer markI) and is exactly opposite it at the point of reversal of its relativemovement and at this moment the hand wheel F is stopped. The rotation ofthe hand wheel F is also taken part in by the part B positivelyconnected thereto and carrying the firing'tongue b and the said firingtongue 6 as the ratios of transmission in question are selected asbefore stated, is adjusted with respect to the firing tongue 6 to anangle of advanced ignition corresponding to the angle of rotation (angleof roll) just present of the mark d.

g If now the firing switch P be closed,the gun, as both the firingtongues are adjusted to the angle of advanced ignition, will be fired atan instant, which lies by a time cor responding to the firing delay inadvance of the instant at which the pointer B has again reached itsmiddle position,that is to say in which the ship passes through itshorizontal floating position.

The fire control apparatus affords primarily the possibility of firingthe gun by the aid of the indicating-apparatus above described,automaticallyexactly at one of the points of reversal or in the vicinityof one of the points of reversal of the rolling movement. This fact isof special importance when the rolling movements do not take placeregularly, but irregularly (see Fig. 2). In this case it was heretoforenecessary, when it was desired nevertheless to fire the gun in thevicinity of the middle floating position to estimate the angle ofadvanced ignition necessary, as the speed of the passage of the shipthrough the middle floating position when the rolling movements areirregular is beyond calculation and undesirable errors in the laying ofthe guns were therefore unavoidable. According to the present inventionhowever these errors are eliminated, as the movement of the ship-in thevicinity of thepoints of re versal takes place at such a low speed thatthe'advanced ignition may be dispensedj with or a constant advancedignition of small amount may be provided at the fire control apparatus.

The method of firing above described, shortly behind one of the pointsof reversal of the rolling movement, possesses the further advantage,that the elevating gear and with it the gun barrel even shortly beforethe firing of the shot, makes no further movement with respect 'to theship and that consequently jumps are avoided which arise from theoscillations ofthe gun barrel which occur when the said gun barrel ismoved.

The fire control apparatus according to the present invention possessesthe further advantage that the gun layer stationed at the observingstation whose duty is to adjust the transmitter is 'able to ascertainwith special ease the continual variation in the speed of the rollingand the approximation of the point of reversal by the aid of theindicating apparatus (6 2 or e?) located at the observing station and isconsequently enabled to adjust the transmitter of the long distanceindicating apparatus leading to the gun with particularly greatcontinuity and V certainty.

In addition to this the fire control apparatus according to the presentinvention affords the advantage of a particularly high readiness offire, of the gun equipped therewith. As it ma be assumed that for thecomparatively s ort time which is consumed, the telescope retains itsposition of being trained on the target under the action of thegyroscopeand further marking of the target according to the first sight taken ofthe target by the aid of the telescope is no longer necessary, it isclear, that the present fire control apparatus permits of the adjustmentof the gun and the firing thereof in the vicinity of the points ofreversal, even when the target is temporarily obscured by smoke.

Further the fire control apparatus according to this invention alsoenables the general arrangement to be so constructed that the firing iseffected automaticall if desired, either in the vicinity of the pointsof reversal or on the passage of the ship through the middle floatingposition.

Without altering any of the essential features of the invention theequality of the ratios of transmission of the gearing for drivin thesegmental piece E and the part B may be dispensed with and thetransmission of the gearing" for the segmental piece E soa ove describedcan be so modified as shown j in? Fig. 4 tha-tinstead of a single pairof firing tongues b and 6 two pairs 6 and b and b and 6 are used, ofwhich one pair b and b is intended for the firing of 'the gun during theupward roll and'the other pair 6 and 6 for the firing of the gun duringthe downward roll. The firing tongues and b are connected with-a 'sourceof current in the manner shown in Fig. 4. In this case it is necessaryto provide a switch R by means of which the pair of tongues which isjust out of use, is to be switched out of circuit. 1

Finally instead of the long distance indicating apparatus formed by thetransmitter J and the receiver, a long distance controlling apparatusmay be employed, by means of which the 11 barrel is automatically'adjusted according to the adjustment of the corresponding transmitter.

It is also possible for the purpose of shifting the firing point to makethe marks 0 and e adjustable in respect to the mark'e'.

Claims.

1. A fire'control apparatus for naval ns comprisingthe combination witha gun arrel, a sighting telescope, a stabilized shaft carrying saidtelescope, means for stabilizing said shaft, a control device betweensaid sighting telescope and gun comprising a transmitter positionedadjacent the telescope, means including a'range device for adjustsaidtransmitter, a receiver positioned ad acent the 'gun and electricalconductors connecting said transmitter to said receiver whereby therange imparted to said transmitter may be transmitted to the receiverand means for correcting the adj ustment imparted to said transmittercorresponding to the angle of roll.

2. A fire control apparatus for naval guns comprising in combinationwith' an ad ustable gun barrel, a transmitter forming part of a distanceelectrical control device, a receiver positioned at said gun, meansoperatively connecting said transmitter/to said receiver, meansincluding a range device for adjusting said transmitter and meansoperatively connected to said transmitter for measuring the angle ofrolland for imparting an additional adjustment to the transmittercorresponding to this angle of roll, substantially as described.

3. A, firecontrol apparatus for naval guns which comprises the.combination with an angularly adjustable gun barrel of means foradjusting the angle'of said gun barrel, said means comprising atransmitterga receiver positioned adjacent said gun arrel,

shaft carrying said sighting telescope, means for stabilizing saidshaft, a pointer rigidly supported by said shaft, cooperating marks, anadjustable member carrying said cooperatlng marks, means for operatingsaid adjustable member, said operating means also serving to adjust saidtransmitter, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. A fire control apparatus for naval guns which comprises incombinationwith a gun,

' than the cooperating firing tongue whereby a distance control deviceembodying a transmitter, a receiver positioned at the gun, meansconnecting said transmitter to said receiver for synchronous operation,means including a range device for adjusting said transmitter, asighting telescope, a stabilizable shaft carrylng said sightingtelescope, means for stabilizing said shaft, a firing tonguecontrolledby sai'd stabilizing means -a cooperatmg hrlng tongue, meansfor adjusting said cooperating firing tongue, a firing device mounted atsaid gun, a circuit connecting said firing tongues to said firingdevice, means for imparting an additional adjustment to saidtransmitter, said last mentioned means causing the adjustment of saidcooperating firingtongue.

5. A fire control apparatus for naval guns which comprises incombination with a gun, a distance control device embodying atransmitter, a receiver positioned at the gun, means connecting saidtransmitter to said receiver for synchronous operation, means includinga range device for adjusting said transmitter, a sighting telescope, astabilizable shaft carrying said sightin telescope,

means for stabilizing said sha t, a firing tongue controlled by saidstabilizing means, a cooperating firing tongue, a pointer rigidlymounted on said stabilizable shaft, a mark carried by said pointer, anadjustable segment, cooperating marks carried by said a justablesegment, and means for moving said adjustable segment and for adjustingsaid cooperating ring tongue, said means being operatively connected tothe transmitter for imparting thereto an additional adjustmentcorresponding to the angle of roll. v

6. A fire controlapparatus for naval guns comprisin the combination withan adjustable gun iarrel of a long distance control device embodying atransmitter, a receiver positioned adjacent said gun barrel, meansconnecting said transmitter and said receiver for synchronous operation,means for adjusting said transmitter correspondin -to the range, andmeans for imparting an a ditional adjustment to said transmittercorresponding to the angle of roll, said last mentioned means comprisinga stabilizable shaft, means for stabilizing said shaft, a pointerrigidly mounted on said shaft, a firing tongue controlled by saidstabilizing means, a cooperating firing tongue, a mark carried by saidpointer,'an adjustable mark cooperating with said first mentioned mark,said coiiperating mark and said cooperating firing tongue taking part inthe rolling movement of the ship and means for adjusting saidcooperating firing tongue and said cooperating mark, said meanssimultaneously imparting an additional adjustment to the transmitter,thecooperating mark having a greater ratio of movement the cooperatingfiring tongue may be adjusted to an angle which corresponds to the angleof advanced ignition.

7. A fire control apparatus for naval guns comprising in combinationwith an angularly adjustable gun barrel a distance control deviceembodying a transmitter, and a receiver mounted adjacent the gun barrel,means for adjusting said transmitter corree sponding to the range, meansfor imparting an additional adjustment to said transmitter, said meanscomprising a stabilizable shaft, means for stabilizing said shaft, asighting telescope carried by said stabilizable shaft, a pointer carriedby said stabilizable shaft, a-mark carried by said pointer, a pair ofcooperating marks positioned symmetrically to the point with which thefirst mentioned mark registers in the middle floating position of theship, means for ad justing said pair of marks, said pair of cooperatingmarks being spaced a distance from the middle position of the firstmentioned mark which corresponds to the angle of rotation passed throughby-the sighting telescope with respect to the hull of the ship from theinstant of the reversal of the rolling movement to the instant of thefiring ofthe gun.

8. A fire control apparatus for naval guns comprising in combinationwith an angularly adustable gun barrel a distance control dev ceembodying a transmitter, a receiver mounted adjacent the gun barrel,means for adjusting said transmitter correspondin to the range, meansfor imparting an ad itional adjustment to said transmitter, said meanscomprising a stabilizable shaft, means for stabilizing said shaft, asighting telescope carried by said stabilizable shaft, a pointer carriedby said stabilizable shaft, a mark carried by said pointer, a pair ofcooperating marks positioned symmetrically to the point with which thefirst mentioned mark registers in the middle floating position of theship, a segment carrying said pair of marks, means for adjusting saidmarks with respect to said segment, means for adjusting said segment,said pair of cooperating marks being spaced a distance from the middleposition of the first mentioned mark which corresponds to the angle ofrotation. passed through by the sighting telescope withrespect to thehull of the ship from the instant of the reversal of the rollingmovement to the instant of the firing of the gun.

9. A fire control apparatus for naval guns comprising in combinationwith an adjustable gun barrel an electrical distance control devicecomprising a transmitter, a receiver positioned adjacent the gun barreland electric conductors operatively connecting said transmitter andreceiver, means for adjusting said transmitter corresponding to therange, means for imparting an additional adjustment to said transmittercorresponding to the angle of roll of the ship, said means comprising asighting device, a stabilizable shaft carrying said sighting device,means for stabilizing said shaft, a pointer rigidly mounted on saidstabilizable shaft, marks carried by said pointer, coiiperating marks,means for adjusting said cooperating marks, two pairs of firing tongues,one of each pair of firing tongues being controlled by said stabilizingmeans, the other of each pair of firing tongues being adjustable, meansfor adjusting said last mentioned firing tongues and for moving saidadjustable marks, said means being connected to the transmitter forimparting thereto its addi tional adjustment.

The foregoing specification signed at Essen, Germany, this 16th day ofJune, 1920.

DR. WALTHER AKEMANN. In presence of- HANS GoTTsMANN, JOHANN DECKERS.

